Presidential Update Spring 2010

To Hope College Alumni, Parents and Friends:

It hardly seems possible
that we are entering the home stretch of the 2009-2010 academic year.
Time certainly flies when you’re having fun!

Enrollment

Hope began the academic year with a near-record enrollment of 3,230
students. Despite the challenging economic conditions, we were able to
meet our freshman goal of 800 students. Retention from spring ’09
to fall ’09 and from fall ’09 to spring ’10 was outstanding.
We feel very blessed to have so many capable students experiencing a
Hope College education and persisting to graduation in four years.

The year began with a very inspirational convocation address by Dr.
Peter Schakel, the Peter and Emajean Cook Professor of English. Once
again, the college’s orientation session featuring programs for
incoming students, parents, and siblings earned high marks from the newest
members of the Hope community. And, there have been many faculty and
student achievements in the months since that exciting beginning. Four
of our 2009 graduates were the recipients of the distinguished Fulbright
Award for teaching abroad this year: Danielle Johnson, Spain; Robin Litscher,
Germany; Lani Pickard, Colombia; and Molly Smith, Malaysia. Most every
week, faculty are publishing books and articles in reputable journals
and receiving research awards that enable faculty and students to engage
in meaningful externally funded undergraduate research. This past year,
Hope received more NSF grant money than every Michigan institution except
the three Research I institutions—U of M, MSU, and WSU—and
Michigan Technological University.

Applications for the fall of 2010 are already at a record level (3,187
for 800 available spots in the freshman class). The challenge now will
be to convert these applications to actual enrollments. More than half
of Hope’s freshman applicants have a 3.9 GPA (out of a possible
4.0), and more than one-quarter have an ACT of 30 or greater (out of
a possible 36).

Achievements

Hope was the recipient of the 2009 Holland Chamber of Commerce “Corporate
Leadership Award” for its pervasive influence in the Holland area.
We desire to be a significant player in the greater Holland economy,
cultural programs, educational opportunities, recreational activities,
and intercollegiate sports spectator events. For the fifth consecutive
year, Hope was named one of West Michigan’s top 100 places of employment.

Hope’s indoor DeWitt Tennis Center was named the winner of the
2010 “Public Facility of the Year” award. There are more
than 6,000 clubs in the U.S. The DeWitt Center offers year-round instruction
for players from kindergarten through high school as well as adult instruction
and team programs. The club is managed by Jorge Capestany who is one
of only 10 Master Professionals with both the Professional Tennis Registry
and the United States Professional Tennis Association.

Semester Milestones

The college also experienced many significant milestones during the
fall semester. Chief among these were celebrating 100 years of Hope science
with the publication of a commemorative book and a banquet, the celebration
of 100 years of Hope football, the centennial celebration of the Knickerbocker
Fraternity, and a celebration of 175 years of the Fraternal Society.
(The Fraternal Society was a transplant from Union College in New York
and, thus, exceeds the number of years of existence of Hope College itself.)

Dedications

We rededicated historic Graves Hall in October. This adaptive restoration
of the college’s third oldest building was a highlight for many
of Hope’s constituency. The restoration was beautifully done and
returns this magnificent Richardsonian architectural masterpiece to much
of its original grandeur. Modern infrastructure systems and handicap
accessibility enable this landmark building to provide space for classroom
instruction as its main function. The Graves Hall restoration was made
possible through a leadership gift from Edward ’64 and Diana ’64
Marsilje and the generous support of many other alumni and friends of
the college.

The college was also able to dedicate the new Van Andel Soccer Stadium
located in the Ekdal Buys Athletic Complex of the eastern corridor to
campus. The stadium is superior in every way and enables Hope soccer
teams, lacrosse club teams, and summer soccer camps to enjoy one of the
finest facilities in the country. It was made possible by a leadership
gift from David ’83 and Carol ’81 Van Andel and several other
generous supporters.

NCAA Division III Presidents Council

I have the privilege of serving as vice chairman of the Division III
Presidents Council of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. This
group of 15 college presidents sets the policies for the NCAA’s
largest division which consists of 447 colleges and universities. The
most distinctive quality of Division III intercollegiate athletics is
that student-athletes are students first with all the opportunities,
responsibilities, and collegiate experiences of other students on campus.
Division III also has the expectation that its coaches will engage fully
in campus life like their teaching colleagues.

When I attend these meetings, I am deeply thankful for the way that
Hope has been able to be very competitive while keeping intercollegiate
sport in perspective. Our student-athletes are not treated differently
than other students on campus. There is no athletics-related financial
aid, and there are no special dormitories or meal tables. There is simply
the opportunity to compete for the love of sport. It is intercollegiate
sport at its purest.

At the fall Presidents Council meeting, we celebrated the life of Myles
Brand, the president of the NCAA who passed away last summer. Dr. Brand,
the former president of Indiana University, attended the first Hope vs.
Calvin men’s basketball game in the new DeVos Fieldhouse. While
here he interacted with our student-athletes, coaches, and members of
the community. Although he will always be known as the president who
fired legendary basketball coach Bobby Knight, his legacy, in my mind,
was much broader than that. He worked diligently during his tenure as
president of the NCAA in bringing a true academic dimension to college
athletics. At heart I believe he loved the Division III philosophy of
sport.

The Hope Experience

I am so bullish on the Hope College education offered today. Our students
are talented, diligent in their work, and come from families which enable
us to build on the sure foundation established in their homes. To be
sure, not every one of our students is as yet fully refined, but as Martie
reminds me (more often than I’d like!), neither is the president!
We have a talented faculty which takes both teaching and scholarship
very seriously. In addition, we have a very dedicated staff that facilitates
the teaching-learning interactions for our students. The mission of Hope
is to “…educate students for lives of leadership and service
in a global society through academic and co-curricular programs of recognized
excellence in the liberal arts and in the context of the historic Christian
faith.” My personal passion shared by so many is that Hope will
be at the same time exceptional educationally and vibrantly Christian.
The record of history for this passion, however, is very discouraging.
Although virtually every private college in the country originally espoused
this goal, hardly any institutions have maintained this emphasis long-term.
Few even aspire to it today. With every fiber of my being, I am committed
to a Hope College that is able to transcend the record of history by
playing at the highest levels in academics, co-curricular activities,
and spiritual life. It is a noble goal and one which, by God’s
grace and the efforts of all of us, is fully achievable.

College educations today are very costly, and there is waning support
at both the state and federal levels. Yet, I am convinced that the investment
in a Hope College education is an investment that will bear fruit—not
just in a job but for all of life. Hope graduates make a difference in
the world! One of my great joys in serving at Hope is the interaction
I have with the many constituencies of the college. These include alumni
and friends, members of the community, faculty, staff, and students.
I care for each one of you and give thanks for your affection for the
college we love.

Young Alumni

Hope can claim so many productive alumni who occupy influential positions,
including some who do so at a very young age. Certainly, Matt Scogin ’02
is one of these. Matt was a leader on Hope’s campus, serving as
both vice president and president of Student Congress. During his senior
year, he participated in the Washington Honors Semester, holding an internship
at the White House. Following his Hope experience, Matt served as an
aide to a state legislator, completed a masters’ degree at the
renowned Kennedy School at Harvard, and then was hired by the U.S. Treasury
Department. He now serves as vice president and chief of staff to the
CEO of the New York Stock Exchange. Matt recently spoke on campus about
his experiences, “From Washington to Wall Street.” His expertise,
commitment to the Christian faith, and humility in the midst of his early
successes are all endearing qualities. He attributes much of his success
to Hope personnel who served as references for him. It’s not just
who you know, but who you know who cares for you. That is a trademark
at Hope!

Thanks to the Administrative Council

In this publication, I especially want to pay tribute to the members
of the Administrative Council:

These are the people who work directly with me on a daily basis. I feel privileged
and blessed to serve with them. In selecting people for these top administrative
posts, my goal is always to find those who are much more talented than I am
(Many think this is not a difficult task!) and who together balance an overall
administrative effort. These people work countless hours, oftentimes at the
expense of their own personal and family schedules, on behalf of the Hope community.

Provost Search

Provost Jim Boelkins ’66 will retire at the conclusion of this
academic year. This will be a loss for me personally and for the entire
Hope College family. Jim has served with great distinction for the past
eight years and has committed virtually his entire professional career
to academic administration. I have especially appreciated his commitment
to our mission, his emphasis on teaching and scholarship, his ownership
of the academic program, and his unparalleled work ethic. He will be
greatly missed by all of us. We are nearing completion of a national
search for Jim’s successor.

Faculty Retirements

Also retiring at the end of this academic year are three long-time faculty
members who have distinguished themselves with notable achievements during
their Hope careers:

Dr. Donald Cronkite, professor of biology and a member of the
Hope faculty since 1978, has received numerous awards throughout his
career including the National Association of Biology Teachers’ highest
honor, the association’s 2008 “Honorary Membership Award,” which
recognizes individuals who have achieved career-long distinction in teaching,
research, and service in the biological sciences.

Karla Wolters, professor of kinesiology, has coached collegiate
athletics for 36 years, the past 22 years at the helm of the Flying Dutch
softball
team. Karla has more coaching victories than any other female coach in
the history of the MIAA.

Dr. Robin Klay, professor of economics and management, has been a member
of the Hope faculty since 1979 and is also an adjunct scholar with the
Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Robin has been a frequent participating
advisor for student trips abroad.

Intercollegiate Sport

Hope has won nine of the last ten Commissioner’s Cups for all-sports
supremacy in the MIAA. League championships were claimed in the fall
by the volleyball team (national tournament final four) and the men’s
golf team (eighth title in the last ten years). For the winter season,
men’s swimming and diving won their third straight title and women’s
basketball their fifth in a row. Both the men’s and women’s
basketball teams won their league tournaments and thus automatically
qualified for berths in the national tournaments. The Flying Dutch finished
runner-up at the final four national tournament in Bloomington, Ill.
Several members of our swimming teams also competed in their national
meet at the University of Minnesota. In addition, the Hope club hockey
team once again qualified for the national tournament in Fort Myers,
Fla. and finished runner-up.

Emma and David

The campus community was thrown into deep mourning on the afternoon
of January 17 when word spread quickly of a single-engine plane crash
that claimed the lives of Emma Biagioni (St. Charles, Ill.) and David
Otai (Kenya). Many members of the campus community attended memorial
services in Dimnent Chapel and in Illinois. Associate Provost and Dean
for International and Multicultural Education Alfredo Gonzales accompanied
David’s body to Kenya and met there with family and friends to
celebrate and honor David’s life. The community response was one
of faith, hope, and love. “God is our refuge and our strength in
times of trouble.”

State of Michigan Financial Aid

The economic woes of the state of Michigan have negatively influenced
state financial aid to needy and meritorious Michigan students. The Michigan
Promise Grant has become “unpromised,” and funding for the
Michigan Tuition Grant/Competitive Scholarship has been severely cut.
Unless the legislature and the governor are able to reverse course, Hope
students will lose approximately $2M in state financial aid.

Hope currently grants institutional gift aid in the amount of $27M.
State subsidies for our students certainly help keep a college education
affordable as do your gifts to the college.

For all the ways that you support us—your prayers, your recommendations
of students, and your financial resources—we are grateful. Hope
College has always been dependent on the previous generation supporting
a current generation, even as others supported them.

Every gift, large or small, is important, even crucial to the ongoing
vitality of the college we love. Thank you for your generous response
in supporting Hope as you are able. Every annual Hope Fund gift helps
every student every day! Together, we can make dreams come true for so
many young people who desire the Hope experience!